Friendship that caused a stir in my life

December has been a great time of reunion for me: I met up with my British guardians in Singapore 3 weeks ago. This lovely couple took care of me during my A-levels when I was studying in a boarding school south of London. As I was feeling home-sick and depressed in a foreign environment, my brother who was then working in Newcastle contacted his friend who worked for OMF. Subsequently, this dear brother got in touched with Ray & Carol, the OMF prayer partners in Guildford. Ray & Carol, who had no idea who I was, took an out-of-the-ordinary step to drive down to my school and offered me a weekend home with them!

Back then, I did not realise how much God has played a role in providing for my needs and moulding my character. This godly couple had not only shown me God’s kindness but they were willing to go the extra mile by giving me advice in areas which I needed most. In fact, all through my life, God has planted numerous friends who acted as advisers to me, though I might not welcome them then. On retrospect, I am truly grateful for the special roles that these people had played in my life. I could still recall that when I had wanted to skip church on Sunday and concentrate on my study, Ray’s words rung through my ears “Give God your Sabbath! Don’t let your studies reign your life but God.”

Besides Ray and Carol, I have also met up with one of my secondary school friends in Singapore who had also played an influential part in my life. She took the risk by pointing out areas in my life that could be improved. At this time and age, it would be difficult to find such gems in our lives. Afterall, people are too busy with their own lives than to take time off, to think about another’s problem, let alone offering advice. With technology at the tip of our fingers, face-to-face communication has become secondary and avoidable. The essence of friendship is diluted through smses and emails, whereby one’s emotions had to be second guessed.

Thank you God for blessing me with godly friends who made a stand for you, as without them, I might have been swayed in the wrong direction. Today, I pray that you will bless my children with godly friends, who are willing to risk their friendships by standing up for what is right.